Stars Claim D-Man Baumgartner

FRISCO, Tex. -- Dallas Stars General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today that the club has claimed defenseman Nolan Baumgartner off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers and placed center Patrik Stefan on injured reserve with a hip injury, for which he is out indefinitely.

Baumgartner, 30, has appeared in six games with the Flyers this season, collecting one assist with 21 penalty minutes. The 6-2, 205-pound defenseman has also played in 51 games with the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season, notching six goals and 20 assists for 26 points with 46 penalty minutes. Among Phantoms team leaders, he ranks tied for second in assists, tied for third in power play goals (5) and fourth in points.

"Baumgartner adds depth on defense that we felt we needed," said Stars Head Coach Dave Tippett. "Our scouts think this is a guy that can come in and help and fits in nicely with our style of play. It also allows for Grossman to continue his development in Iowa and we don't have to bring him up here just to sit."

The Calgary, Alberta, native has appeared in 124 career NHL games with Washington (1996-2000), Chicago (2001), Vancouver (2003, 2004-06), Pittsburgh (2003) and Philadelphia (2006). He played the entire 2005-06 season with Vancouver, collecting five goals and 29 assists for 34 points with 30 penalty minutes in 70 games.

Washington's first round selection (10th overall) in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Baumgartner has served as an AHL captain for the Manitoba Moose in 2004-05 and the Norfolk Admirals in 2001-02, and was selected to play at the AHL All-Star Game in 2005. Playing parts of four seasons with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1992-1996, he was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team twice, to the Canadian Major Junior First All-Team once and Canadian Major Junior Defenseman of the Year in 1994-95. He won back-to-back Memorial Cup Championships with Kamloops in 1994 and in 1995 and was named to the Memorial Cup Tournament All-Star Team those two years.

Stefan, 26, has played in 41 games for the Stars this season, posting five goals and six assists for 11 points with 10 penalty minutes. He collected a season-high four-game point streak (2-2-4) from Dec. 29 to Jan 4. He tied a career high with three points (1-2-3) against his former team, Atlanta, on Nov. 17, and posted a +4 rating in that contest.

The native of Pribram, Czech Republic, was acquired from Atlanta with Jaroslav Modry in exchange for Niko Kapanen and a 2006 seventh-round draft pick on June 24, 2006. In 455 career NHL games, he has recorded 64 goals and 124 assists for 188 points with 159 penalty minutes. Stefan was originally selected by Atlanta with the number one overall pick in the 1999 Entry Draft, as well as the Thrashers' first ever draft pick, and prior to his trade to Dallas, was the last player on the Thrashers from their inaugural team in 1999-2000.